20 Cool And Fun Things To Do In Bronx Zoo

1. Admire The Welcoming Sight At The Entrance

The beautiful Bronx Zoo entrance is what welcomes you as soon as you arrive, opening up a world of adventure at once. The Bronx Zoo has 3 main entrances at various points, which make it easy to get to the whole city and tourists coming around there.

The main visitor entrance is at 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460, near the majority of attractions. With its perfectly manicured landscapes and friendly atmosphere, families can escape for a day of wonder in every direction.

As you walk in, the sounds of nature surround you, as does the bright foliage. Wildlife conservation is why this park was built.

2. Take A Spin on Bug Carousel

The carousel comprises 64 hand-carved insects, not traditional horses, but vibrant grasshoppers and whimsical ladybugs. Not only is it fun, but the murals surrounding the ride are educational. They show young children how butterflies grow from caterpillars to full-grown monarchs.

This wood-frame structure is open year-round but closes in colder months, so it's a warm place to visit whether you are visiting when the sun shines or snow falls.

Again, the music is "natural," since it's all built from real insect sounds to give them an authentic quality. Round and around, families are spun as laughter echoes throughout the atmosphere, a special time to bond through shared giggles.

3. Navigate Through Nature Trek

This attraction offers an exciting new exploration zone for visitors aged 3 and above to climb, crawl through a series of bridges, and balance beams with an unmatched bird's-eye view overlooking the zoo itself.

You will feel like a real explorer at the same time while making your way through obstacles in this discovery-oriented Bronx Zoo treetop adventure. The structures are fully netted and safe for small children.

Nature Trek shares the overall importance of outdoor play and interaction in nature. Get those sneakers laced up, grab the kids, and get set for a day to remember at this must-visit zoo attraction.

4. Watch Magellanic Penguin Feeding

The best experience at the Bronx Zoo is watching the Magellanic penguins during their feeding time. Native to South America, these fantastic birds are playful and brilliant divers.

You can watch them bob for fish during the feedings, showing off their hunter-like capabilities and smart bird brains. Friendly zookeepers are always on hand to field any questions you may have about our characters. Magellanic penguins live in a spacious and comfortable area in a large aviary at the Bronx Zoo.

5. Enjoy The Lively Sea Lions

These playful little guys are not just cute but also incredibly smart. There are also daily feeding sessions at 3 p.m. for guests to watch them in action, hopping around and barking up a storm as they perform their tricks.

Zookeepers give interesting facts about them and how they are taken care of, so it is also kind of educational. Their routines change with the seasons: during warmer temperatures, sea lions eat less, while in colder waters they seem keen to beef up—literally. Your visit supports a wildlife conservation and education institution.

6. Interact With Colorful Budgies

One of the most pleasant experiences at the Bronx Zoo Bronx NY is feeding and being approached by budgies at Budgie Landing. Opened in May 2023, visitors can walk into a new colorful world full of more than 1,000 free-flying budgerigars (also known as budgies).

While you walk through and offer them seeds with a handheld stick, these pleasant birds turn these moments into unforgettable ones. Not only does this reflect the open woodlands of Australia, where they hail from naturally, but it also shows off these charming little parrots in many colorways due to selective breeding.

To experience colorful budgies, Bronx Zoo times are preferable from April through October

7. Use The Seasonal Zoo Shuttle

This trolley service will be available from April through October to make the journey around field trips simple throughout the 265-acre Zoo. Linking vital locations such as Wild Asia and Zoo Center, it becomes easy to jump from one exhibit and conserve energy.

The shuttle runs every day between warmer months and on weekends throughout autumn, so you can soak in all that exploring. And it's wheelchair accessible, so you can take into account almost all mobility assistive devices.

The ride also counts as part of your ticket, meaning it's a great value for kicking back without ever leaving the zoo.

8. Participate In Pumpkin Nights

The Bronx Zoo Pumpkin Nights is a Halloween extravaganza that saturates the zoo with strange outdoor lighting, with 5,000 illuminated jack-o'-lanterns sculpted to resemble animals.

From September 26 to October 27, on Thursday nights through Sunday nights, 2024, visiting a half-mile trail is a great tradition for families and individuals of all ages. As you walk through this display, you'll see the beauty of an ocean ecosystem at night as never before. The carved pumpkins represent different ecosystems, including the Amazon rainforest and the African savanna.

9. Stop By Children’s Zoo

Open from April through October, this seasonal attraction permits children to touch and feed the goats, sheep, or fennec foxes. Kids have the best view of all the exhibits, as they were built so that younger children can see and interact with them.

In the meantime, recent updates are bringing more types of species into the park for players to catch — giant anteaters and Linne's two-toed sloths were already added, with each visit promising something new.

For a small extra Bronx Zoo cost, this charming region can also be experienced by families and will build lasting memories for those enthusiastic about wildlife.

10. Take A Dinosaur Safari

Head for the Bronx Zoo's Dinosaur Safari and get ready for a ride in prehistoric times. This extraordinary experience guides you through wooded territory, where 52 life-size animatronic dinosaurs and pterosaurs appear amongst the trees.

The Safari at the Bronx Zoo is home to some of the largest creatures that ever roamed the world, such as the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex and the massive Omeisaurus. As you walk the quarter-mile trail, lost in thought, imagine yourself transported back to an epoch long ago that disappeared from this planet.

11. Stroll Through Butterfly Garden

The Bronx Zoo's Butterfly Garden is an unpolished gem of nature that brings the beauty of nature alive. Open from April to October, this charming place has a greenhouse filled with hundreds of butterflies fluttering around, creating an enchanting atmosphere.

Here, the visitor can roam winding paths among a sea of colors, with even some peaceful koi ponds. This year's Butterfly Garden is focusing on the importance of pollinators. And this means that it's a good place for families to learn as well as enjoy the sights.

With exhibits like the Zebra Longwing and Luna Moth, each visit is an opportunity to sit close up and watch the delicate beauty of these elegant.

12. Walk Through JungleWorld

In JungleWorld at the Bronx Zoo, strolling along is the same as plunging into a steamy Asian rainforest. Adventure and education are indistinguishable. This indoor exhibit, 55 feet tall, houses almost 800 species, the jolly small-clawed otters, majestic gibbons overhead, and so on.

As we meander along the one-mile system of twisty paths, you encounter fascinating mammals like the critically endangered white-cheeked gibbon and the rather unusual gharial. Teaching the public the importance of rainforests and the animals that call them home is one of JungleWorld's objectives.

13. Wild Asia Monorail

The Wild Asia Monorail is an unmatched opportunity to experience a taste of Asia's nature. This 1.6-mile route affords amazing views of such animals as tigers, Indian elephants, and red pandas.

With lush green leaves overhanging its banks and crystal water rippling below, it is truly a corner in the wild. As it winds its way through this lush setting, your well-versed guide on board will take the opportunity to tell stories about animals.

The Bronx Zoo monorail runs only from May to October and is a good way to tour the zoo. It's a perfect activity for families, letting you relax in the shade at your own pace while being able to look at different kinds of wildlife.

14. Get The Chance To Hand-feed A Giraffe

As part of the zoo's "Wild Encounters," visitors can actually book their own "encounter" for an unforgettable experience getting up close and personal with these towering animals. On such a tour, you might be invited to feed the giraffes by hand and learn fascinating facts about them from knowledgeable zoo staff.

The Carter Giraffe Building, a state-of-the-art exhibit, is where the giraffes are placed. The building also houses other African species like aardvarks and dwarf mongooses. Here, you can see giraffes in their natural habitat and engage in various activities.

15. Enjoy At World of Birds

At 30,000 square feet, this vivid exhibition showcases about 350 birds, accompanied by characteristic scenery such as rainforests, deserts, and woodlands. Open year-round, it contains lush, walk-through displays where visitors can see firsthand the magnificent species, such as Andean cocks of the rock and the rare Maleo.

The World of Birds presents the activity and significance of protecting birds and their homes through interactive experiences and teaching displays. Whether you're enjoying the sight of colorful parrots or learning about bird conservation programs, the Aviary offers an interesting and interactive way to experience nature.

16. Rejoice In Free Wednesday

Yes, Bronx Zoo Wednesday tickets are free with a limited admission ticket. Visitors can now have access to almost everything that is in the zoo, apart from a channel of exhibits called Star Attractions.

To get a free ticket, you have to book it online or before. Tickets become available from Monday before that Wednesday, from 5 to 2 pm',' or until all available free tickets have been reserved. Wednesday tickets are required for all visitors aged 3 and up.

If you cannot get Wednesday Bronx Zoo tickets or want to visit on another day of the week, then entry to this must-see attraction is free with a New York Sightseeing Pass.

17. Attend Keeper Chats

Taking part in Keeper Chats is one of the coolest experiences on a visit to the Bronx Zoo. These interactive sessions give you the chance to hear directly from our keepers about the animals they work with.

You could be just a few feet from an incredible animal as well-versed keepers chat your ear on facts and tales of behaviors, habitats, and their conservation. These Keeper Chats are not only informative but interactive.

They will present you with an opportunity to ask them questions and explore the daily lives of some amazing animals. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn more about wildlife during your visit.

18. Watch Bears In Their Naturalistic Habitats

In the Big Bears exhibit, you can see these gigantic fellow residents in large, nature-like designs that resemble more of their home ranges. You can watch the grizzly bears swimming, wrestling, and foraging in play sessions guided by their keepers.

As well as discovering more, you will find out about the vital conservation work undertaken to safeguard bears and their environment. The zoo emphasizes merging a message of peaceful cohabitation between humans and bears with modern wildlife conservation practices.

19. Watch A Short Film At 4-D Theater

This modern cinema brilliantly combines the stunning visual effects of a 3D film with various sensory tricks, resulting in an unforgettable experience for all ages. The theater is outfitted with very comfortable seats and top-notch 3-D glasses.

Throughout the film, you will encounter wind and smells just as others do; for example, wet walks and jabs in the back. In the 4-D theater, each has its own theme and collection of effects (short films rotate).

Previously, it has shared wildlife documentaries, animated escapades, and Dora the Explorer films.

20. Walk Through Congo Gorilla Forest

Going into the Congo Gorilla Forest at the Bronx Zoo is like entering a small part of Central Africa. The immersive exhibit stretches 6.5 acres and is filled with over 400 species of plants, giving it a natural feel for the animals that dwell inside.

You can walk the ⅓-mile trail to learn more about wildlife conservation and see western lowland gorillas, playful okapis, or mandrills. A special all-day event will include Congolese dance theater performances as well as Congolese storytelling by famed Congolese actor Aime Nkoloso and others. All this happens during any special event in the zoo.